The special administrator of a deceased woman's estate has filed suit against Memorial Hospital and Anesthesia Associates of Belleville, alleging they caused the woman's death by administering anesthesia to her when she was in a hypovolemic state.

Cindy Howenstein claims Shirley Keck visited Memorial Hospital on April 21, 2008, for hip surgery. When Keck arrived at the hospital, doctors failed to discover she was in a hypovolemic state, meaning her heart was unable to supply enough blood to the rest of her body, according to the complaint filed March 11 in St. Clair County Circuit Court.

Because doctors failed to recognize and treat Keck's state, failed to provide adequate fluid transmission to Keck and failed to follow protocol to resuscitate Keck, she died, the suit states.

Keck's death caused her next-of-kin to suffer grief and sorrow and to lose her services, companionship, comfort, instruction, guidance, counsel, training, love and support, the complaint says.

In her two-count suit, Howenstein is seeking a judgment of more than $100,000, plus costs.

She will be represented by Joseph A. Bartholomew of Cook, Ysursa, Bartholomew, Brauer and Shevlin.